Annual Food & Drink Issue
Who doesn’t love a good portable meal? Handheld menu items – from sandwiches to burgers to hot dogs and beyond – are beloved and multipurpose. Whether you’re layering breakfast meats, assembling an on-the-go lunch, or adding some simplicity to a sit-down dinner, handhelds are there to pack a flavorful punch. Here, local restaurants share some of their favorite handheld staples and what makes them special.
Photography by Lanewood Studio
Lil Mama’s Chicago-Style Hoagy
“I’m not really a huge spicy food person, but I know a lot of people who are, so I wanted to create a hoagy for them! You have your tangy, spicy ingredients like spicy mustard, banana peppers, and jalapeños balanced by the savory, spicy ingredients like the pepper jack cheese and the Cajun mayo. The tomatoes, lettuce, and onions add a nice freshness. The honey-roasted turkey that we put on all our hoagies and our famous oil let you know you’re eating a Lil Mama’s hoagy. All the ingredients work together to accomplish an explosion of flavor.”
– Tiffany Pauldon-Banks, Owner
Slice open a hoagy roll and gut some of the bread from the inside. Slather opposite sides with Lil Mama’s house-made Cajun mayo and spicy mustard. Add the pepper jack cheese and the honey-roasted turkey. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickled jalapeños, and sliced banana peppers. Finish with a drizzle of Lil Mama’s Famous Oil, crushed red pepper, and Parmesan.
